"Action Required" message on Where's My Refund for $4,300 refund - Do I wait for a letter or take action now?

This is a common message that shows up when the IRS is conducting additional verification on your return. The message itself isn't necessarily bad news - it's just letting you know they're reviewing your information. Here's what you need to know: • This message can appear for various reasons - math errors, identity verification, income verification, or even random selection • In many cases, the IRS will resolve this without contacting you if their automated systems can verify the information • If they do need something from you, they'll send a letter with specific instructions (usually 4883C, 5071C, or CP75 letters) • The review period typically takes 45-60 days, but can sometimes be resolved faster • Don't call the IRS about this message alone - wait for the letter if one is coming • You can check the status of what's happening by getting your tax transcript at IRS.gov or using taxr.ai which will decode what's happening behind the scenes The good news is that plenty of people see this message and still get their refunds without having to do anything. Just keep checking your mail for any notices and monitor the WMR tool for updates.

Man I was in the exact same boat as you in 2023. That action required message drove me CRAZY. I spent hours everyday on hold with the IRS getting nowhere. Then someone on this sub recommended taxr.ai and it saved my sanity. It actually showed me exactly what was happening with my return (they were verifying my W2 info) and gave me a timeline estimate. Turns out I didn't need to submit anything after all! The tool explained everything that the WMR tool couldn't tell me. Would 100% recommend checking it out at https://taxr.ai instead of just sitting there anxious and wondering like I did for weeks.

After waiting 7 weeks with that same message, I finally found a way to actually talk to the IRS directly. Used claimyr.com - it's a service that gets you through the IRS phone nightmare and puts you in line for a callback. Got a real agent on the phone within 2 hours who explained that they just needed to verify one of my W2s and they released my refund right then and there. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human to get things fixed! My $2,800 refund hit my account 3 days later.

I had that message pop up in March. Never got a letter. Just kept checking WMR every day like a crazy person and then one day it switched to approved. Got my deposit 2 days later. So yeah, sometimes they just do their review and release it without needing anything from you.

The IRS is a freaking joke. "Action Required" except they don't tell you what action or when. I've had this happen twice. First time they sent a letter two weeks later. Second time it just magically resolved itself. Their systems make zero sense.

We've had that same message since april, still no letter, no explanation just "we are reviewing your return, you may need to provide additional information" Husband called about our return & was told that the refund was released on july 12, wich ofc we never got. Called again and now they're saying we need to wait 9 weeks. The IRS is a nightmare and noone knows what there doing 🤦‍♀️

Yes! Mine went away after about 2.5 weeks. Never got a letter, the message just suddenly changed to approved. DDD was 2 days later. Don't lose hope!

Just throwing it out there... have you checked your transcript? The WMR tool is notoriously bad and often doesn't give you the real story. Your transcript will have the actual codes that tell you what's happening with your return. You can access it on the IRS website (if you can make it through their verification) or use a tool like taxr.ai which makes it way easier to understand.

for what its worth most ppl that get that message end up getting a letter within 2 weeks. mine was for identity verification. once i did the verification online (took 5 mins) my refund was approved the next day. just keep checking your mail.

One thing to check - did you claim any credits like EIC or Child Tax Credit? Those often trigger automatic reviews and that dreaded message. Also if you had unemployment income or if your reported W2 amounts don't match what employers submitted.

This is why I always owe a small amount instead of getting a refund. Better than letting those incompetent fools hold my money hostage for months while they "review" my return. Pay me interest at market rates and maybe I'd feel differently.

In my experience.... If you don't get a letter within 2 weeks, it's usually a good sign that they're just doing a routine review and will resolve it on their own. I've had this happen twice - once they sent a letter asking for proof of business expenses, and once it just went away on its own after about 18 days. The IRS is severely understaffed and their systems are ancient, so sometimes these messages appear without any real issue. Check your transcript if you can (or use taxr.ai if you struggle with understanding the codes). That'll tell you if there's an actual hold on your account or just a routine review.

theres a facebook group called "IRS refund delays" with like half a million people all dealing with this. check it out - they have lots of helpful info and you can see what happened with people who had similar situations. fair warning tho - some people wait MONTHS.

I've used taxr.ai for the last two years to understand my transcripts and what was happening with my refund. It's seriously amazing - gives you an actual explanation of what all those 570/971/846 codes mean in plain English, shows you if there are any issues, and gives a projected timeline. I never file without it now. Their analysis is so much better than the vague WMR messages. https://taxr.ai saved me so much anxiety during tax season!

Has your 2023 return been completely processed? Sometimes they hold current year returns until past years are fully processed. Or if you amended a previous return. Just another thing to consider.

Have u tried calling the irs? I know its basicly impossible to get thru but after trying for weeks I found this service called claimyr.com that got me a call back from the IRS in like 2 hours. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was missing (I made a mistake on my mailing address) and then released my refund while I was on the phone with her. Was worth every cent to finally get my $4k refund unstuck after 2 months of waiting.

If youv'e claimed EITC or additional child tax credit, there's mandatory additional verification that happens. Totally normal. I freaked out over it last year but everything was fine. Just wait it out.

I had this exact same situation happen to me last year! The "Action Required" message appeared after about 3 weeks of normal processing, and I was panicking because I really needed that refund money. Here's what happened in my case: The message stayed for about 4 weeks total. I never received any letter in the mail, and one day I checked WMR and it had switched to "Refund Approved" with a direct deposit date. Got my money 2 days later. From what I've learned talking to others who've been through this: - About 60% of people with this message never get a letter and it resolves on its own - The other 40% get letters asking for specific documentation (usually identity verification, income verification, or proof of dependents) - The review process typically takes 2-8 weeks depending on what they're checking Since you claimed EIC (saw your comment above), that's probably what triggered the review. EIC claims get extra scrutiny because of fraud concerns, but if your information is accurate, you should be fine. My advice: Give it another week or two before taking any action. If you don't get a letter by then and the message is still there, that's when I'd consider using one of those services people mentioned to get through to an actual IRS agent. But honestly, based on the timeline, you're probably in the group that will get resolved without any action needed on your part. Hang in there - I know the anxiety is real when you're counting on that money!

I completely understand your anxiety - that "Action Required" message is one of the most stressful things to see when you're counting on your refund! I went through something very similar last year. Here's what I've learned from my experience and from helping others in this community: **The good news:** Most people who see this message (especially with EIC claims like yours) end up getting their refund without having to do anything. The IRS often resolves these reviews internally. **Timeline expectations:** Based on what I've seen, EIC reviews typically take 3-6 weeks from when the message first appears. Since you're claiming EIC, this is likely just their standard fraud prevention check - totally routine. **What to watch for:** - If they need something from you, you'll get a letter (usually CP75, 4883C, or 5071C) - No letter after 2-3 weeks is usually a good sign - Keep checking WMR - it could switch to approved any day **My recommendation:** Wait another 1-2 weeks before taking any action. If you're still seeing the message after that and no letter arrives, then consider using one of the callback services others mentioned or checking your transcript for more details. The waiting is absolutely brutal when you need that money, but try to stay patient. The system is slow, but it usually works out in the end. Keep us posted on what happens!